Recessed lighting fixtures are commonly held up in ceilings prior to installation of the ceiling panel by way of two bars, commonly known as bar hangers. These are sometimes adjustable in length, and have means to attach or locate on ceiling joists and/or suspended ceiling grid systems such as T-bars.
In one design, the bar hanger consists of a male member which slides within a female member, allowing the overall length to vary depending on ceiling requirements. Locking the members together is often achieved by way of a locking screw, and the desired distance of the overall bar hanger is typically only achieved once the recessed light fixture assembly is raised up to the ceiling.
Current bar hanger systems have several limitations. Generally, two different members are required (e.g., one male and one female), thus requiring one of each of member to assemble a bar hanger. Moreover, the tightening of a fastener is often required to lock an extension, requiring a specific tool, e.g. screwdriver, wrench, or bit, which can also only be accessed from a specific orientation of the tool. Further, existing locking systems can leave unwanted play and reduced rigidity, and greater deflection under load. Additionally, there is no way to extend the bar hangers to pre-set distances without using a tape measure or other external measuring device. Finally, existing bar hangers have limited spans, either finite, or only extendable beyond a primary limit with a separate extension element.